Electric Vehicles in Hawaii
Did you know…
Every single day, Hawai‘i commuters drive a total of 29 million miles. That’s 29 million—the same distance it takes to circle the earth 1,164 times or make 60 round-trip journeys to the moon. Every day!
Imagine what that translates to in carbon emissions. According to the 2007 Inventory of Hawai‘i Greenhouse Gas Emissions compiled for the state of Hawai‘i, our ground transportation is responsible for 13,500 tons of CO2 each day. How much is that? Think of one pound of CO2 filling the space of a balloon the size of an exercise ball, about 2.5 feet in diameter. The CO2 emitted from our cars would fill 27 million balloons each day. Imagine every person in Hawai‘i releasing 20 huge balloons filled with carbon pollution into the sky—every single day.
Switching to hybrid and all-electric vehicles can reduce or even eliminate the pollution that comes from petroleum-fueled cars, not to mention the money you spend on gas. Electric vehicles will play an integral role in Hawaii’s clean energy future. These new cars are not only fuel efficient, they can also be affordable with rebates from the State of Hawaii. Take a look at your options.
Electric vehicles will play an integral role in Hawaii’s clean energy future. By using stored electrical energy, EVs can take advantage of intermittent solar, wind, and other renewable energy resources. Most vehicles can sit idle for more than 22 hours a day, so they can become de facto energy storage devices if their batteries are plugged into the grid when they are not in use. With smart grid infrastructure in place, EVs become an essential component to electricity load and clean energy resource balancing—in addition to providing sustainable mobility solutions for Hawai‘i residents.
Today’s electric vehicles have evolved from their “golf cart” roots. In fact, a modern production model, the Tesla Roadster, is a high-end sports car that can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds—beating almost all regular internal combustion engines currently on the road. The drawback, for now, is its price. As with most full-performance EVs, the available battery technology adds considerable expense to the cost of the EV. But this technology is evolving quickly, and new production EVs (like the Nissan Leaf) are being sold at a more modest price. Many more mainstream EVs are expected to come to market in Hawaii in the next 3 to 5 years.
You can receive a rebate of up to $12,000 when you purchase an electric
vehicle in Hawaii.
Electricity isn't just for golf carts anymore. You have a choice of real, full-size electric cars.
Confused? Hey, look at that! We've got an easy-to-use infographic courtesy of our friends at 1bog.org to make things clear. Click to enlarge.